Do you cut your own mats or order precut mats?

[Gary L. Quay]

I cut my own. I own an Alto's mat cutter for the windows, and an ancient wall unit to cut the outsides. I need the flexibility due to the varying sized of my photographs. My advice: don't use blades for too long. Trying to get extra life out of a blade will waste a greater value in mat board.

I bought a Logan once and had to return it because the groove was curved. It stuck out 1/16th of an inch past the cutting edge. I think their quality control is shoddy these days.

I also tried building my own mat cutter. I'm good with tools, and I have a small wood shop, yet it was a disaster. If you can convince yourself that your time is worth at least a few bucks an hour, you won't try to build your own.

--Gary

[Nicholas F. Jones]

I cut my own. But since I mount and overmat only a few prints to hang in my home, it's just an afternoon's work every few months or so.

You do have to change blades often; if you wait until the first time you tear the board, it's too late. Somehow I've managed not to waste any materials by recycling mistakes or using cut-outs or scraps for smaller prints.

I don't mind the occasional overcuts, I regard them as signs of hand-craftsmanship--in my estimation desirable.

But pre-cuts are really not an option for me anyway, since (as several posters have said) every print is different. Besides, I look at mounting and overmatting as my final opportunity to correct or improve the composition that came off my enlarger.

[Craig Wactor]

I have always cut my own, and have made some serious money cutting custom mats for others - but I HATE it! I am getting out of it and am looking for someone to cut mine. I want to spend my time photographing and printing, not framing.

I might have to give the framesbymail.com a try. Thier prices seem reasonable.

[John Brownlow]

I cut my own. I have one of those mid-level Logan mat-cutters (without the T-bar). It works great.